Trump’s key EU ally Viktor Orbán concedes defeat as Peter Magyar wins landmark Hungary election
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump’s key EU ally Viktor Orbán concedes defeat as Peter Magyar wins landmark Hungary election")
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (L) during a meeting with US President Donald Trump Photograph: (AFP (File Photo)
Magyar, a former government insider and political newcomer, confirmed victory, saying Orbán called to concede. “Prime Minister Viktor Orbán just called to congratulate us,” he said, as Tisza led with over 52% against Fidesz’s 39%, signalling a decisive shift.
Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Sunday (April 12) conceded defeat in parliamentary elections, ending his 16-year rule, as conservative challenger Peter Magyar secured a decisive victory on a promise of “system change”.
“The election results, though not yet final, are clear and understandable; for us, they are painful but unambiguous,” Orbán said, acknowledging the outcome. “We have not been entrusted with the responsibility and opportunity to govern. I congratulated the winning party.”
Magyar, a former government insider and political newcomer, confirmed the development, saying Orbán had personally called him. “Prime Minister Viktor Orbán just called to congratulate us on our victory,” he posted on X, as his Tisza party led with over 52 per cent of the vote against Fidesz’s roughly 39 per cent with more than half the precincts counted.
Orbán, widely seen as one of Donald Trump’s closest European allies, had built a long-standing partnership with Washington’s conservative leadership. The relationship was highlighted by US Vice President JD Vance’s recent high-profile visit to Hungary, during which he backed Orbán’s re-election bid and described him as a “defender of national sovereignty” and a “model for the West”. The visit was viewed as an effort to consolidate a broader populist alignment in Europe.
Magyar’s victory signals a significant political shift in Hungary, with his campaign centred on institutional reforms, anti-corruption measures and a reset of governance after more than a decade of Orbán’s dominance.
Reacting to the result, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the outcome, framing it as a moment of realignment with the European Union. “Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary. Together we are stronger. A country returns to its European path. The Union becomes stronger,” she wrote on X.
Orbán’s tenure had often put Hungary at odds with the EU, particularly over rule of law concerns and his reluctance to support funding linked to Ukraine’s war effort against Russia, reflecting his relatively close ties with Moscow.
The election outcome marks a turning point in Hungary’s political trajectory, with implications for its relationship with the European Union and the broader balance of power within Europe.
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